News

Darren Aronofsky NEWS

JEM No, last month's announcement that G.I. Joe Retaliation helmer Jon M. Chu is planning to direct a live-action reinvention of the '80s cartoon Jem and the Holograms was not an early April Fool's joke, nor was the request for fans of the original to send submission videos to JemTheMovie.com. To prove he is serious about bringing back the often-overlooked '80s cartoon character, Chu released an update video to introduce some of the dedicated production people behind the movie and to share some of the "amazing" and "hilarious" submissions they received. He also revealed that the movie is actually going to begin shooting in three weeks' time so if you submitted a video and Chu liked it, expect a call any day now.

CASTING With Star Wars: Episode VII expected to begin filming in little over a month, many of the casting decisions must have already been made or are, at least, in the final stages of negotiations. One of the hottest roles in the movie has to be that of the young Jedi that will be the Luke Skywalker equivalent in the new trilogy, a role that Jesse Plemons (The Master) was supposedly vying for with a half-dozen other young male actors. If the latest casting rumor shakes out to be true, Plemons will not be playing the Jedi as he will be busy filming another movie.

According to THR, Plemons is in talks to join Johnny Depp in Black Mass, a loose adaptation of the best-seller Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob to be directed by Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart). Depp will play notorious criminal mastermind, while Plemons would play Bulger's "blue-collar tough guy" friend. What does any of this have to do with Star Wars? Black Mass will begin shooting in early May in Boston, roughly the same time that Episode VII will begin shooting overseas, which would rule out Plemons for the coveted Jedi role.

EFRON Yet another novel by prolific author John Grisham will make the leap to the big screen. According to THR, Zac Efron (The Lucky One) will produce and star in an adaptation of Grisham's 2009 legal thriller The Associate. Efron will produce through his Ninja's Runnin Wild (That Awkward Moment) with Divergent producers Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher. A writer is currently being sought to adapt the novel. Here's the synopsis of the novel, courtesy of Amazon:

Kyle McAvoy possesses an outstanding legal mind. Good-looking and affable, he has a glittering future. He also has a dark secret that could destroy his dreams, his career, even his life. One night that secret catches up with him. The men who accost Kyle have a compromising video they’ll use to ruin him — unless he does exactly what they say. What they offer Kyle is something any ambitious young lawyer would kill for: a job in Manhattan as an associate at the world’s largest law firm. If Kyle accepts, he’ll be on the fast track to partnership and a fortune. But there’s a catch. Kyle won’t be working for the firm but against it in a dispute between two powerful defense contractors worth billions. Now Kyle is caught between the criminal forces manipulating him, the FBI, and his own law firm — in a malignant conspiracy not even Kyle with all his intellect, cunning, and bravery may be able to escape alive.

***

WHAT IF? Acclaimed director Darren Aronofsky is flying high right now, with his latest movie, Noah, topping the box office with a $43.7 million debut. Though Noah is a movie he has been pursuing for years, Aronofsky revealed in a recent interview with MTV that he "absolutely" would have taken the job directing Man of Steel instead, had Warner Bros. offered him the gig.

Superman's one of the holy grails. It's Superman. It's the best superhero. Batman is great, of course, but it's Superman. He's the same level. That possibility was great.

Showing what a classy guy he is, Aronofsky gave props to director Zack Snyder, saying that he was "a great choice" to direct Man of Steel and adding that "as a fan of the comic, you couldn't hope for a better interpretation."

***

B-DAY Just because a guy was born a mutant master of magnetism with plans to dominate the world that doesn't mean that there's no cause to celebrate his birthday, as evidenced by the awesome tweet below, sent out to Michael Fassbender on Wednesday in celebration of his 37th birthday. It's actually a treat for us fans as it offers a highly detailed look at Fassbender's new Magneto armor from X-Men: Days of Future Past, which opens May 23rd.